Table



Jan. 2, 1934. c. L. MOORMAN 1,941,483

TABLE Filed April 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5& 52

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Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT TABLE Charles L. Moor-man, Chicago, 11].

Application April 20, 1928. Serial No. 271,428

13 Claims. (01. 248-41) The present invention relates to tables, and Fig. 3 is a detail cross sectional view in elevais more particularly concerned with the provision of tables adapted to be used as platforms for lift trucks.

5 It is customary in warehouses, factories and the like, to pile merchandise, stock in course of manufacture, etc., upon low platforms or tables having legs or other supports of sufficient height so that a lift truck can he slid under the platform and its load lifted and moved about by means of a truck to be deposited wherever desired. Such platforms are usually constructed of wood nailed or bolted together, but wooden platforms become unduly heavy when made of suflicient strength for heavy work, and they are also difficult to ship from place to place due to their bulk and irregular shape. Due to the difliculties of shipment, such platforms are generally built by carpenters in the place of their use, so that they are not generally the subject of manufacture and sale.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a novel lift truck platform which is light, durable, easily cleaned, and capable of supporting extremely heavy loads.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a platform of the class described which is constructed of a small number of difierent parts of standard shape which can be kept in stock, cut

off to any length desired to make tables of any size, and which can easily be knocked down for shipment from place to place.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a table comprising a pair of guide members, a plurality of separate sections secured together by said guide members to form a table top, and frame members for securing said guide members on said sections.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel leg structure for tables and the like, comprising a channeled sheet metal leg which may be constructed from a single piece of sheet metal of substantially rectangular shape without a any substantial waste of material in the cutting of the blanks or formation of the leg.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a table or lift truck platform .constructed according to my invention.

.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same.

tion taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail cross sectional view of a part of the table top taken on the line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view of a corner of the table taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of short lengths of the members employed in constructing the table top at the corner of the table as shown in Fig. 5. as

Fig.7 is a detail view of one of the posts and its supporting stirrup.

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of one of the table legs, and

Fig. 9 is a plan viewof a blank used in forming table legs.

Fig. 10 is an elevational view in partial cross section of a modified form of my invention embodied in a push truck.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the .same par- 76 :ially broken away toshow the platform strucure.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 indicates in its entirety one embodiment of my lift truck platform consisting of a table top 11, legs 12, and side posts 13. 80

The table top His preferably formed of a plurality of sections 14 supported at their ends in a pair of guide members 15. The top sections 14 are preferably formed as shown in Fig. 4 having a fiat upper surface 16, a pair of downwardly 86 extending flanges 17 at substantially right angles, and a pair of inwardly extending flanges 18 substantially parallel with the top surface 16. I prefer to form the top sections 14 of substantially rectangular cross section in order that they may fit closely together forming a flat top; At the same time, the downwardly extending flanges 17 greatly increases the strength of the top section so that it is able to carry extremely heavy loads, although it is supported only at its ends.

The inwardly extending flanges 18 substantially increase the bearing surface of the top sections upon their supporting guides 15 and also increase the strength of the top section when used as a cantilever.

The top sections 14 are preferably formed of a single sheet of metal, such as steel, and while I prefer to make these sections of the shape shown, some of the details of structure may be eliminated while still utilizing the advantages of the other parts, as described above; The metal top sections 14 may be formed in any convenient length so that it may be cut up asjdesired to form table tops of any width or length, the dimentions of the assembled top being governed only by the length of the separate sections and the number of sections assembled side by side. The guide members 15 are preferably formed of sheet metal, such as steel, having a vertical flange 19 adapted to abut against the ends of the top sections, or against other parts interposed between the ends and the guide. The guides 15 are also formed with an upper retaining flange 20 at substantially right angles to the vertical flange 19 and adapted to overlie the ends of the top sections 14, retaining said top sections in the guides and forming-an angle-iron for protecting the outer edge of the table top.

The guides 15 are also formed with a supporting flange 21 substantially parallel to the retaining flange 20 and adapted to form a support for the ends of the top sections 14. The width of the supporting flange 21 is preferably governed by the depth of the upper flange 22 of the legs 12 in such manner that the leg may be secured to the guide 15 under the table top so that there will be no projecting parts to prevent close piling of the lift truck platforms. The guide 15 is also provided with a downwardly turned leg supporting flange 23 and the legs 12 may be secured to the flange 23 by a plurality of spot welds 24 located at opposite edges of the upper end of the leg. The leg is also secured to the supporting flange 21 by a plurality of spot welds or by bolts 25 preferably located near the outer edge of the upper end of the leg in such manner that the leg is firmly secured to the guides 15 and braced by the flange 23 as well as the substantial width of the leg top against movement from its normal position in any direction.

In order to increase the bearing surface which supports the top sections 14 and to provide a smooth pair of runners underneath the table top adapted to be carried by the lifting frame of the lift truck, I prefer to provide an angle iron frame member 26 having a vertical flange 2'7 confined between the guide 15 and the ends of the top sections, and a horizontal flange 28 supporting the top sections 14. The width of the vertical flange 2'7 is preferably such that this flange will fit in the channel formed by the guide 15 and the width of the lower flange 28 is substantially greater than the depth of the legs 12 so as to provide a runner 29 extending underneath the top sections 14 inside the legs at each side of the table.

I desireit to be understood that my table top may be constructed without employing the frame member 28, but still securing many of the advantages of the balance of the structure. In such case the vertical flange 19 of the guide 15 should be made of such width that the ends of the top sections 14 will flt in the channel; but

'when the frame member 28 is employed as shown the width of the flange 19 should be increased by the thickness of the runner 29 so that both the ends of the top sections 14 and the frame member 28 may be received in the channel of the guide 15 as shown in Fig. 3.

The table top 11 is also provided with means for securing the guides 15 together to form a framework confining the table top sections 14 within the same. One form of this means comprises the channeled members 30 extending across the ends of the table top between the guides 15 and secured at each end to one of the guides. The channeled member may consist of an angle-iron having a lower flange 31 and a vertical flange 32 of suflicient height to lie flush with the top of the table. Each end 01' the chanaperture 34 in the supporting flange 21 of the guide 15.

The channeled member 30 may then be secured at each end to a guide member by a screw bolt passing through the aperture 34 and threaded into the bore 23. It will thus be observed that one of the angle-irons 30 may be secured to two guides 15, whereupon a plurality of top sections 14 may be slid into the guides 15 until the top sections extend even with the end of the guides, forming a table top. The length of the guides should preferably be substantially an even multiple of the width of the top sections 14 so that there will be no cracks left between the top sections 14, and the other channeled member 30 may be secured to the remaining end of the guides by screw bolts as described to confine the top sections completely within their supporting guides.

The angle-iron 26 may have its lower flange 28 cut away at each end as at 35 for a distance equal to the width of the flange 31 on the end frame member 30 so that there will be room within the guide 15 for the top sections and the end of the frame member 30. It will thus be observed that the end frame members 30 not only serve to confine the top sections 14 in the guides 15, but they confine the reinforcing angle-irons 26 within the guides 15.

The table top is also preferably provided with additional bracing means for binding the guides 15 upon the top sections 14 and for increasing the rigidity'of the complete structure, comprising a plurality of rods 36 located within the channels of the top sections 14 and passing through bores 37 in the flanges 19 and 27. The rods 36 may be provided with a head at one end and threaded at the opposite ends for the reception of a nut 38 and the tighteningof the nuts 38 binds the guides 15 together against the top sec tions 14, greatly increasing the rigidity of the structure.

In order to provide a symmetrical appearance for the top of the table the end frame pieces 30 may be provided with upper retaining flanges 39 adapted to overlie the edge of the outermost top section 14 and in such case the corners of the retaining flanges 39 and of the retaining flanges 20 should be mitered as at 40 and 41, respectively. The retaining flange 39 on the end frame pieces may be eliminated if desired, in which case the flange 20 would not be mitered at 41, but should be out off squarely at the end of the table. The frame member 30 not only secures the guides 15 together and retains the top sections in place, but it provides a bumper for preventing damage to the top sections.

While I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention which is particularly adapted to be used as a lift truck platform, it will be obvious that the structure so far described may be employed in many different ways, such as platforms,

table tops, floors, etc., and I do not desire to be.

limited to the precise embodiment shown.

The legs 12 are preferably constructed of a substantially rectangular sheet of metal 42 of the shape shown in Fig. 9. The blank 42 may be slit at two points on each side in order to permit the bending of flanges to form a channeled leg. I prefer to locate the top slits 43 at a distance from the upper edge substantially equal to the width ofthe flange 21, and the upper slits 43 may be made of a depth equal to their distance from the end.

The lower pair of slits 44 are preferably made at a greater distance from the lower end of the blank so that the flange which forms the base of the leg will be substantially wider than the top flange 22 of the leg. At the same time, the slits 44 are preferably made of a depth equal to the width of the flange 45 so that the corner portions 46 will besubstantially square in shape. It will also be observed that the upper corner portions 4'7 are substantially square in shape, but of a smaller size. .The portions between the slits 43 and 44 forming the flanges 48 may then be bent forward along two lines which taper toward each other so as to form a leg of less width at the base, but of greater thickness and having two flanges 48 at substantially right angles to the main portion ofthe leg. The upper flange 42 and the lower flange 45 mayalso beben't forward at-substantially right angles against the ends of the flanges 48 after which the corner pieces 46 and 47 may be bent upward and downward. respectively, to lie against the flanges 48 as shown in Fig. 8. The corner pieces 46 and 47 may then be secured to the flanges 48 by one or more spot welds 49 or by rivets if desired. It will thus be observed that by the foregoing method I am able to construct a table leg having a relatively long upper flange 22 for attachment to the guides 15 and a tapered section terminating in a relatively wide foot 45. both of which are firmly braced and secured together by the intermediate flanges of the channeled leg.

My lift truck platform may also be provided with side posts 13 comprising sheet metal members having a pair of flanges 50 at substantially right angles to the main section 51 of the post and the flanges 50 are preferably tapered toward the top so as to provide a maximum strength at the base where required. The guides 15 may be provided with stirrups 52 of substantially U- shape having outwardly extending flanges 53 at each side for attachment to the guides 15 by one or more spot welds 54.

The U-shaped stirrups 52 are of suflicient width to receive the posts 13 and the posts may have their flanges 50 cut down as at 55 forming shoulders 56 for limiting and positively supporting the posts against sliding movement in the stirrups 52. The reduced section 55 of the posts may be made of a size which will wedge tightly into the stirrup, but the post is also preferably provided with shoulders 56 which provide an additional brace for the posts against the stirrup.

While I have'illustrated but four posts and stirrups, it will be obvious that any number of such posts and stirrups may be employed. depending upon the size of the table top and the use to which it is to be put. If it is desired to make the platform adaptable for sliding a lift truck under it from either the ends or the sides, the middle portion of the flange 23 between the legs 12 may be bent upward against the runner 29 or this portion may be removed entirely. This would enable the lift truck to be slid in from the side between the legs as well as from the end. It will thus be observed that I have invented a lift truck platform which is constructed wholly of sheet metal, with the exception of a few rods or bolts, and that the various elements comprising my platform may be kept in stock in any length and assembled to form platforms of any size. Furthermore, my lift truck platform is lighter, more durable, and cheaper than platforms of the prior art and capable of supporting much heavier loads. Other important advantages of my invention are the extreme strength and rigidity secured by the use of the extra channeled reinforcing member and bythe method of attachment of the legs.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, I have here shown a modified form of my invention embodied in a push truck. Inthis embodiment the platform or truck top may be constructed exactly as shown in the preceding embodiments. The platform comprises a plurality of the same channeled members 14 supported upon a reinforcing member 29 and carried within channeled guides 15. The guides may be secured together by bolts 36 as previously described, and all of the details of the platform may be made exactly as previously described. I

In order to provide the push truck with a handie, a pair of angleirons .60 may have their lower ends bent at substantially right-anglesv as at 61, and the horizontal portions-62 of thewangleirons secured by a plurality of bolts 63 to the flange 21 and 23 of the guidemembers. l. I

The vertical flanges 64 of the angleirons may be removed at the upper end and the horizontal flange 65 bent about a pipe 66 to which it may be secured by rivets 67 passing through the pipe 66 and a flange 65. The pipe 66 thus forms a handle for pushing or pulling the truck about.

The truck may also be provided with brackets 68 for supporting bearings 69 for a shaft 70 carrying a pair of wheels '72. The bracket 68 may consist of an angleiron bent to substantially the conformation shown in Fig. 10, having the vertical flange removed at each end as at '73 and the horizontal flange bent parallel to the bottom of the platform as at '74. The brackets 68 may then be secured to the platform by a plurality of bolts securing the brackets both to the vertical flanges 23 and to the horizontal flanges 21 of the guides 15, thereby providing a very firm and durable structure.

The bearings 69 may be of any conventional form secured to the brackets 68 by a plurality of bolts 76. The wheels '72 being secured to the shaft 70. when the bearings 69 are secured to the brackets, engagement of the wheel hubs with the bearings prevents any end play of the shaft 70.

The push truck is also provided at the other end with one or more wheels or casters supported for rotation about a vertical axis as well, in order to permit the truck to be. guided. The supporting structure for the casters 7'! may consist of the stirrup 78 carrying the shaft 79 at the end of a pair of curved legs 80 to the rear of the vertical shaft or bolt 81. The upper surface of the stirrup 78 may be formed for a ball bearing race 82 and the stirrup may be supported by the shaft 81 passing through said stirrup and through a vertical bearing 83.

The bearing 83 may be provided with a pair of lateral flanges 84 adapted to be used in securing .the bearing to a sheet metal bracket 85 which is carried by the platform. -The bracket 85 may consistof a substantially rectangular piece of sheet metal bent to form a plurality of attaching flanges 86 and 87a for engagement with the reinforcing members 29 and the flanges 23 on the guides 15. The bracket 85 may comprise a trough shaped structure having a vertical flange 87 adapted to support the vertical bearings 83. a horizontal portion 88, and an oblique bracing portion 89 terminating in the attaching flanges lib 86 and 87a. The bearings 83 are secured to the bracket 85 by a plurality of bolts 90, and the race 82 formed by aligned annular grooves in the bearing 83 and stirrup 78 is provided with a plurality of ball bearings 91. It will thus be observed that my platform structure is readily adaptable to be 'used for constructing a push truck which is light, durable, and of considerably greater strength than any of the push trucks of the prior art. Such push trucks may also be conveniently shipped in knocked down condition and made of any convenient size by simply varying the length and number of the metal sections 14, the length of the guides 15, and the brackets While I haveillustrated and described a speciflc embodiment of my invention, many modiflcations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes" and a supporting flange, downwardly projecting flanges carried by said supporting flanges, metal top sections in said guides, sheet metal legs secured to said supporting and downwardly projecting flanges, and reinforcing members having an upwardhr turned flange in said guides and a horizontal flange under said sections for supporting said sections.

2. In a platform, the combination of a'pair of metal-guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair of transverse section retaining flanges, means for securing said guides together, and a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops, downwardly extending transverse flanges and bearing flanges substantially parallel to saidflat top carried by said downwardly ex tending flanges.

3. In a platform, the combination of a pair of metal guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair of transverse section retaining flanges, a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops and downwardly extending transverse flanges, and

means for securing said guides and sections together, comprising a plurality of brace members engaging said guides and drawing the bodies of said guides against the ends of said sections.

4. In a platform, the combination of a pair of metal guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair.of transverse section retaining flanges, a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops and downwardly extending transverse flanges, means for securing said guides and sections together, comprising a plurality of brace members engaging said guides and drawing the bodies of said guides against theends of said sections, and a plurality of sheet metal legs, each comprising a flat body surrounded by transverse flanges, said flanges being doubled and secured together at the corners, and said legs being carried by said guide members.

5. ma platform, the combination of a pair of metal guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair of transverse section retaining flanges, aplurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops and downwardly extending transverse flanges, said guides being formed with apertures oppositely disposed to each other and registering with the inside of said channeled sheet metal sections, and bolts extending through said channeled sheet metal sections and said guides, to clamp said guides against the ends of said channeled sheet metal sections and secure the sheet metal sections and guides together.

6. ma platform, the combination of a pair of metal guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair of transverse section retaining flanges, a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops and downwardly extending transverse flanges, said guides being formed with apertures oppositely disposed to each other and registering with the inside of said channeled sheet metal sections, bolts extending through said channeled sheet metal sections and said guides, to clamp said guides against the ends of said channeled sheet metal sections and secure the sheet metal sections and guides together, and an end frame member having a flange extending underneath the end section, having an upwardly extending flange and having an overhanging upper flange for enclosing the ends of said table, the ends of said frame members being secured to the ends of said guides.

7. In a platform, the combination of a pair of metal guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair of transverse section retaining flanges, a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops and downwardly extending transverse flanges, said guides being formed with apertures oppositely disposed to each other and registering with the inside of said channeled sheet metal sections, bolts extending through said channeled sheet metal sections and said guides, to clamp said guides against the ends of said channeled sheet metal sections and secure the sheet metal sections and guides together, and an auxiliary side frame member having an upwardly extending flange in said guide for engaging the ends'of said sections and having a horizontally extending flange underneath said channeled sections.

8. In a platform, the combination of a pair of .metal guides, each guide comprising a channeled member having a body with a pair of transverse section retaining flanges, a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections having their ends slidably mounted in said guides between said section retaining flanges, said sheet metal sections each comprising metal members having flat tops and downwardly extending transverse flanges, said guides being formed with apertures oppositely disposed to each other and registering with the inside of said channeled sheet metal sections, bolts extending through said channeled sheet metal sections and said guides, to clamp said guides against the ends of said channeled sheet metal sections and secure the sheet metal sections and guides together, an auxiliary side frame member having an upwardly extending flange in said guide for engaging the ends of said sections and having a horizontally extending flange underneath said channeled sections, said guides having downwardly extending flanges and sheet metal leg members having a vertically extending body portion secured to said downwardly extending flange and having horizontal flanges secured to the horizontal flanges of said guides.

9. In a platform, the combination of a pair of guides with a plurality of channeled sheet metal sections carried side by side in said guides to form a flat table top, a plurality of sheet metal stirrups comprising flat attaching flanges, outwardly projecting flanges and body flanges parallel to said guides, said stirrups being secured to said guides to form a socket and sheet metal posts of substantially U-shape in cross section having the side flanges of said posts cut away to form shoulders for engaging the tops of said stirrups, the ends of said posts being adapted to be received in the sockets formed by said stirrups.

10. A load supporting platform comprising a plurality of transverse members, frame members to support said transverse members and adapted to receive the ends of said transverse members, and means at the ends of said frame members acting to draw them together to secure the transverse members in position.

11. In a platform of the class described, the combination of a load supporting floor, a side frame member along one edge of the floor, a side.

porting members secured to each end of the side frame members, and means for moving said frame members against the edges of the floor whereby to hold the parts rigid.

12. A load supporting platform comprising a plurality of flooring members of substantially the same length arranged side by side and parallel to each other to form a load supporting surface, and a pair of channelled frame members adapted to form clamping devices for clamping the flooring members together and bracing same, said channelled members having flanges above the flooring members and flanges engaging below the flooring members, and the body of said channelled members engaging the ends of said flooring members, a tie rod engaging said channelled members and extending below the upper surface of said flooring for urging said channelled members toward each other into clamping engagement with the ends of said flooring members, said tie rod being provided with adjustable threaded means for forcing the channelled members into clamping engagement, and a plurality of supports having attaching flanges fixedly secured to said channelled members to provide a support for said platform.

13. A load supporting platform comprising a plurality of transverse members, frame members to support said transverse members and adapted to receive the ends of said transverse members, and means acting to draw the frame members together to secure the transverse members in position.

CHARLES L. MOORMAN. 

